


Hitched

by espioc



Series: For the Love of Starjack [3]
Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One)
Genre: Fluff, Fluffy to the max, Healthy Relationships, Humor, Lingerie, M/M, Mech Preg (Transformers), Spark Sexual Interfacing (Transformers), Sticky Sexual Interfacing, Wedding, conjunx ceremony, did i say fluff already?, fluff of an ungodly proportion, loving relationship, two people in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:00:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24889516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/espioc/pseuds/espioc
Summary: (This came out waaaay longer than I intended)Starscream and Wheeljack plan their conjunxing ceremony. Be ready for some tooth rotting fluff.
Relationships: Starscream/Wheeljack (Transformers)
Series: For the Love of Starjack [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1801012
Comments: 3
Kudos: 53





	Hitched

**Author's Note:**

> I'm making up for all the angst I've written with pure fluffy, healthy, loving, Starjack content.

Starscream was sure, before the proposal, before they even hit 100 years, that he would be spending the rest of his life with Wheeljack. Such dreams were often filled with starry eyed naivety, by people who didn't believe that their love could possibly evolve or change. Starscream knew better. He knew that in a thousand or so years the love of his life might become a bitter old man. That he himself might become a bitter old man. But there would always be that little tiny spark. Starscream didn't believe he'd ever get tired of his conjunx-to-be. They'd been dating for almost 300 years already, they'd lived together for most of that time, and they never fought. Not about anything.

To douse any arguments before they began, they tried couples counseling for a few years during the early spots of their relationship. It helped alleviate some of the fear that came with being in a cross faction relationship. As well as the prospect of dealing with PTSD and what came with it. They both had it, they both learned each other's triggers and the ways to deal with them. How to help each other through the rough spots.

After about 25 years of that, Wheeljack decided to concentrate on his career while Starscream continued with individual therapy. Not that Wheeljack didn't think he needed therapy at all, but he couldn't have a job, grow his company, and go to therapy. He tried to return to it, but found he didn't have much to talk about. By the time they were settled, Starscream was in a good place mentally, and they were doing well as a couple.

Now, trying to plan their conjunx ceremony, Starscream was beginning to remember what real stress felt like. A creation day gift was one thing, an entire conjunxing ceremony was a whole other thing.

Starscream was sitting up in bed, flipping through one of the many magazines he'd picked up from the corner store. Wheeljack's arm was slung over his legs, head tucked against his hip.

"Go back to sleep," Wheeljack muttered.

"Who are we inviting to the ceremony, by the way."

"You are way over thinking this."

Starscream pouted. "I've never had a conjunxing ceremony. These magazines will tell me how to do it."

Wheeljack grabbed the magazine and tossed it to the other side of the room. "Those things will tell you how to spend way too much money, on stuff you don't need."

"You make all the plans, then"

"We can do it together." Wheeljack sat up, eyes still closed, and started dotting Starscream's neck, jaw, and cheek with kisses. Starscream couldn't stay pouty for long. He wrapped his arms around Wheeljack's neck and encouraged the onslaught of affection.

"There is plenty of time." Wheeljack said between kisses. "To plan. Our love's not going anywhere."

Starscream hummed. "I guess you're right."

"I don't want a big ceremony."

"We don't have to have a big ceremony. Just a few nice things, maybe."

Wheeljack tugged Starscream down with him, burying them under the blanket.

"I think we should keep it a secret," Starscream whispered, still being kissed all over his cheek and neck. "So the media doesn't get ahold of it and make it into some big thing. They stress me out."

"Of course. Not like we have a lot of people to invite anyways." Wheeljack settled in and relaxed. "We can talk about it later. I'm not doing anything today."

"Bold of you to assume I have no plans."

"Oh, I'm sorry, is cuddling with me getting in the way of your important plans?"

Starscream smiled. "Maybe."

"Uh-huh." Wheeljack closed his eyes. "You can't fool me. I know you have no life."

Starscream laughed. "So mean to me, he is so mean to me."

"Aw, no," Wheeljack pouted. "I'm not mean." He pressed his forehead to Starscream's chin. "I'm sweet on you."

Starscream hummed. "Maybe. Maybe I can cancel my very important, very real plans, and spend a little more time with my conjunx."

"Your conjunx? Oh, what a nice word."

Starscream smiled, squishing his face against Wheeljack's. “I do like it. Conjunx, Conjunx, Conjunx.”

“Do you really have plans today?”

Starscream gave Wheeljack a kiss on the nose. “Only this.”

They settled in and slept on and off for a couple of hours before Starscream hauled both of them out of bed. When they fell asleep they were already fully awake, so getting either of them up was like an act of god after the nap. Starscream was standing beside the bed, pulling Wheeljack by the wrist, trying to get him to get up.

“Come ooooon,” Starscream whined. “We have to do things. You said we would plan together.”

“Two more hours,” Wheeljack muttered, not budging one bit.

“You know I can carry you, but I thought I’d let you be a little more dignified.”

Wheeljack rolled into his back and lifted both arms.

Starscream put his hands on his hips. “No, I am not carrying you.”

Wheeljack groaned, letting his arms drop. He rolled lazily onto his side and opened his eyes. “You look sexy when yer mildly irritated.”

Starscream cracked a smile. He put one knee on the bed to grab Wheeljack again, but it was a mistake. Wheeljack took Starscream by the waist and dragged him back into the berth, rolling them over so he was on top of him. Starscream squawked, but hardly fought.

Wheeljack gave him a kiss on the nose. “I gotcha.”

“Okay, you win. But we still have to get up.”

“No, you said I win.”

Starscream wiggled, pulling his arms out of Wheeljack’s grasp. Wheeljack tried and failed to get the arms back. Starscream grabbed him by the wrists and playfully tried to shove him off. Wheeljack squirmed and locked his knees in a desperate, but failed attempt to stay in place. Starscream laughed in victory as he sat up, pushing Wheeljack to his haunches. As soon as the opportunity arose, Starscream tried to make a break for it.

“Oh, no no no,” Wheeljack said, grabbing him around the waist again. “I know your weakness.” He brought Starscream back to the bed and tickled his waist, under his arms, the edge of his wings. Starscream squawked and laughed, kicking his legs in a futile attempt to stop the assault.

“Quit it, quit it, quit it,” Starscream chuckled. “I cave.”

Wheeljack ravaged Starscream’s neck with a few kisses before relenting. “Okay, I’m done.”

Starscream rolled onto his back. “Are you going to get up now?”

“If you ask nicely I might.”

“Get up.”

“Aw, he’s so sweet to me.”

Starscream laughed, swinging his legs up and off the bed. “Come on, lazy. We have a whole day, and I won’t waste it.”

Wheeljack laid back down. “Is it really a day wasted if you spend it with the people you love.”

“Don’t get soft on me.”

“I’m already soft.” Wheeljack rolled himself to the edge of the bed. “Don’t let me fall.”

Starscream squawked, trying to get his arms under Wheeljack before he was on the ground. Wheeljack only succeeded in dragging them both down. Starscream frowned at him from his knees, Wheeljack laughed, laying on his back.

Starscream put his hands on his hips. “Have you ever lovingly gazed into someone’s eye, and thought, ‘why is he like this?’”

Wheeljack chuckled, using both hands to grab Starscream by the waist. “Like this? Yer marrying this.”

Starscream smiled, holding Wheeljack by the wrists to keep him from tickling him. “Yes I am, I am, I am, I am,” Starscream placed both hands on either side of Wheekjack’s head and leaned down to give his lover a kiss on his exposed lips. Wheeljack accepted the kiss in kind. Starscream’s sharp talons came to rest gently on the side of Wheeljack’s face.

They smiled against each other's lips.

“How come we didn’t do this earlier?” Wheeljack muttered.

“Do what? Get hitched?” Starscream humed. “We didn’t have to. But I still think it will be nice,” he planted a gentle kiss on Wheeljack’s nose. “I think all of our friends will roll their eyes, and say, ‘it’s about time.’”

“So who are we intitin’ to this shindig anyways?”

Starscream shrugged. “How many people do we know?”

“Not a lot.”

“Everyone gets a plus one.”

“But what if you don’t like who they bring?”

“Simple, we make them tell us ahead of time.”

“What if the person we invite has a plus one of another person we invite? Then what?”

“They can pick again.”

Wheeljack laughed. He sat up on his elbows. “Picky, picky, picky.”

“But you love it.” Starscream stood up.

Wheeljack watched him walk away. “I sure do.”

After they got cleaned up and ate breakfast, Starscream dragged them outside to the park to take a walk and brainstorm.

As they walked, Sarscream swung their hands between them. “So? What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking that you were thinking that we can’t be boring.”

“It’s almost like you know me.”

“And it should all be red.”

Starscream nodded.”I like it, I like it. Go on.”

“We should avoid boring, but also avoid super duper, unnecessarily expensive.”

“I agree.”

“But I do think that we should both get a cape, that should be our bigger expense. Have it embroidered, made of organic fabric, the whole nine yards.”

“I love that idea. Oh, I have an idea.” Starscream sprung in his step. “How about, we design the capes for each other?”

Wheeljack furrowed his brow. “Why?”

“Because, if we’re going to get them embroidered, we should have something going on there. Like, we pick some of our favorite things about each other and put them on there, it’ll be a surprise.”

Wheeljack nodded. “Oh, yeah, I like that idea.”

“Wheeljack, can I tell you a secret?”

“You have secrets from me?”

“Just something I never told you.”

“Alright, shoot.”

“I have absolutely no idea what happens at, or goes into, a conjunxing ceremony.”

“Whataya mean?”

“I mean I was relatively young when the war started, nobody was getting hitched on the Nemesis, so I’ve never been to a conjunxing ceremony, and I barely learned about them after I came off the assembly line.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“So you don’t know what goes on at all?”

“I don’t know nothing, I know what Thundercracker used to say about them, and other people, but I don’t know what any of the stuff looks like, how big they are.”

“What about now? It’s been 300 years.”

“None of my friends are conjunxed, and why would I have any reason to investigate it?”

Wheeljack stared straight ahead. “Huh.” His fins flashed. “It all makes sense now.”

“What?”

“Why there are a dozen conjunxing ceremony magazines in our bedroom.”

“I do know how to become someone’s conjunx, I just don’t know about the whole big party people used to throw afterwards.”

“Really? Because you do seem to know things.”

Starscream shrugged. “I just figured it was like any other party. Decorations, food, high-grade, blah blah blah, all that stuff. Is it? It is, right?”

“Yeah, it’s just a little fancier.”

“Okay, so I do know something.”

“But ya know, a conjunx ceremony can be whatever the hell we want it to be. There’s no actual rules.”

“So we could have the ceremony in the basement of our apartment building, and it would be fine?”

“Yeah, pretty much.”

“I don’t want that, I’m just asking.”

“I figured.”

“Let’s get a smoothie.”

“You just ate.”

They got smoothies.

Starscream sat them down at one of the little tables outside of the smoothie shop, and took a datapad out of his subspace.

“Alright. Let’s get to it. Let’s just start with simple things. When do we want to have the ceremony?”

“Uhhh, six months from now?”

“Sounds fine,” Starscream wrote that down. “Who are we inviting?”

“Ironhide.”

“Thundercracker.”

“Are you gonna invite Skywarp?”

Starscream scoffed. “No.”

“I was thinkin’ Ratchet and Drift.”

“Let’s invite Ratchet and let him bring Drift as his plus-one.”

“Okay. I was also thinkin’ Blurr.”

“You think he’d come?”

“Well, you’re allowed in the bar now, so yes? Maybe?”

“Okay. Oh, you’d want to invite Chromia, right?”

“I would, but she’d probably bring Windblade as her plus one.”

“Not if she brings Ironhide.”

“But we’re already inviting Ironhide.”

“Then Chromia just doesn’t get a plus one.”

“You can’t do that.”

“We’ll see. I’m going to invite Bumblebee.”

“What about Rattrap?”

“Ew.”

“Aw, come on. I know you don’t hate him as much as you say you do.”

Starscream twisted his lip. “I’ll put him in the maybe column.”

“Do you have any other friends?”

“Only you.”

“Really?”

“I guess we can invite Skywarp.”

“What about the other seekers?”

“What is this, a reunion?”

“What about Knockout? Or, oh, what about Airazor?”

“Again, what is this, a reunion?”

“I thought Knockout retired.”

“My statement still stands.”

“Aren’t you still friends with him?”

“I probably haven’t talked to him in 20 years.”

“Oh, okay.”

Starscream frowned, looking at their list. “I really don’t have a lot of friends.”

Wheeljack shrugged. “You said you didn’t want a big party.”

“I don’t, but I still want more than five people there.”

“Can I invite a few more people?”

“Of course. Maybe. Who did you have in mind?”

“Mirage.”

“Okay.”

“Hound.”

“Fine.”

“And Skyfire.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, we’re friends.”

“Okay, if you say so.”

“What?”

“I didn’t know that. I’ve never seen you hang out with him or anything.”

“You don’t see me hang out with Mirage or Hound much either.”

“Yes, but I have seen you hang out with them.”

“Are you really not gonna let Chromia have a plus one?”

“I’m still thinking about it.” Starscream took a long sip of his smoothies, reading over the list again. “I think this is enough. Especially if everyone brings a plus-one.”

“Okay, so we have a date, and a guest list, now how about a venue.”

“This conjunxing ceremony thing is easy,” Starscream wrote ‘venue’ at the top of a new page. “Something that represents us, that isn’t very expensive.”

“What about a park?”

“No, too simple. And windy.”

“Okay, how about a regular event center?”

“Boring.”

They sat for a moment, sipping their smoothies and thinking to themselves.

Starscream snapped his fingers. “The history museum.”

“Really? I don’t know if shoving a bunch of Decepticons and Autobots in one room at a history museum will do us much good.”

“Some other museum then.”

“What about the science museum?”

“The science museum?” Starscream waded his head from one shoulder to another. “I mean, I guess. That’s more aimed at sparklings, though.”

They both twisted their lips and thought again.

Starscream slapped his hand on the table. “I got it.” He pointed at Wheeljack. “The natural history museum.”

Wheeljack nodded. “Oh, yeah, okay, that would be pretty cool.”

Starscream wrote that down. “Okay, so we have guests, a venue, a vague date, what else? You know more about this stuff than I do.”

“Well, we wanna figure out decorations, color scheme, the food we’re gonna serve, how much of it we need, how much engex we need-”

“So we need to send out invitations first, is what you’re saying.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s what I’m saying.”

Starscream sat up straight, his wings fluttering behind him. “We should do the thing.”

“What thing.”

“The thing, the thing we haven’t done in so long, when we tell everyone we’re getting conjunxed.”

Wheeljack furrowed his brow and squinted his eyes. “The thing?”

“Whenever we’re with everyone, you know what I’m talking about.”

Wheeljack’s finials blinked. “Oh, the thing!” He nodded. “Oh yeah, definitely. I’ll text everyone and see if they can come to the bar tonight.”

Starsream stood up. “I’m going to get another smoothie.”

* * *

Ironhide, Chromia, Bumblebee, and Windblade came to the bar. Windblade wasn’t invited, but she came with the posse as she often did when she happened to have a day off. Of course, tonight just had to be her day off.

Starscream and Wheeljack arrived last. As soon as they walked into the bar they were greeted with a slew of waves, telling them where to go. The group had taken a circular booth. Starscream and Wheeljack sat on one of the ends, still hand-in-hand, even as they were seated. Blurr rushed over to take their order. He smiled at Wheeljack, but scowled at Starscream, and greeted him with little more than a disdainful “Starscream.”

“Blurr,” Starscream said in response.

“What’ll it be, love birds?”

Wheeljack ordered for the both of them. Blurr rushed to the bar and returned a moment later, two drinks in hand.

“It’s been a while,” Ironhide said. “Here I thought you two never left yer tower.”

Wheeljack smiled, putting his drink to his lips. “We leave the house.”

“Do ya?”

Chromia leaned forward. “I don’t believe it.”

“It’s true,” Wheeljack looked at Starscream. “Though I will say, staying at home with my shining star is a little tempting.” He released Starscream’s hand only for a moment to nip just under his chin with his knuckle. Meanwhile, Starscream ran his free hand up and down Wheeljack’s arms, practically hanging off of him. They were pressed together, hip to hip, shoulder to shoulder.

Everyone rolled their eyes.

Starscream felt pressure swell in his chest, but held the laugh in his throat. The evening wore on, Wheeljack continued to use a slew of over-the-top pet names for his conjunx-to-be, Starscream did the same to him. They never stopped touching each other, whether it be hand holding, resting a head on a shoulder, hanging off the other’s arm, it never stopped. Occasionally they would even gaze lovingly into each other’s eyes.

“You two been in the honeymoon stage since the beginning,” Ironhide said. “Can’t fool us now, I know you do it to be annoying.”

Starscream laughed. “Maybe I just love him this much.”

Bumblebee piped up. “Oh, nobody is doubting that. We just know you two are the most obnoxious couple in the world for fun.”

Wheeljack put his arm around Starscream’s waist and pulled him closer. “We could start makin’ out, would you like that more?”

The entire table unanimously voted No on that.

“Aw, but it would be so fun.” Wheeljack complained.

Ironhide wagged his finger at them. “You two need a hobby.”

“Our hobby is each other,” Starscream said. He moved out of Wheeljack’s grip and took a sip of his drink.

“I have a real hobby,” Wheeljack said.

Starscream raised his hand. “I don’t.”

Ironhide scoffed, “yeah, you don’t even have a job.”

“I have a job. I just work one day a week.”

Windblade cocked a brow. “Good thing hubby there is loaded.”

Starscream frowned. “What did you just call him?”

Everyone looked at Windblade. She glanced between everyone’s confused face.

“What? It’s an earth term. Hubby? Husband?”

“Stop making words up.” Starscream said.

“I didn’t-” Windblade huffed. “I was just trying to be funny.”

"You failed."

Wheeljack raised his hand. "I thought it was funny."

Starscream looked at him. "You think bad jokes are funny."

"Yeah, you got me."

"One of the many things I love about you."

Ironhide chuckled. "Now there's some genuine doting"

Wheeljack and Starscream exchanged a look.

"Windblade's bad joke does make for a good transition, though."

Wheeljack grabbed Starscream's hand atop The table, wide smiles spreading across their faces.

"We didn't gather everyone here for a simple social visit-" Starscream started to say.

"We're getting Conjunxed." Wheeljack blurted out.

"Aw, I wanted to tell them."

"I'm sorry, I just got so excited."

Starscream gave him a kiss in the cheek. "I love when you're excited."

Ironhide held up his drink. "Well ain't it about time. Here I thought you two would never get hitched."

Chromia shook her head. "You can say that again."

Wheeljack relaxed in his seat and put his arm around Starscream's waist. "And you're all invited."

"Except Windblade." Starscream said.

Windblade's smile flipped into a scowl.

Wheeljack elbowed Starscream in the side. "Don't be mean."

Starscream shrugged. "What? I don't lie anymore."

"Don't worry, Windblade, Chromia can bring you as a plus one."

Windblade pointed to Starscream across the table. "Ha!"

Starscream frowned. "Why'd you have to tell them that?" He muttered out the side of his mouth.

"Don't worry, Starscream, I won't ruin your big day." Windblade wiggled her fingers in the air "I'll melt into the shadows and eat all the food. You'll never even know I was there."

Starscream pointed a sharp finger at her. "You are not allowed to eat all the food."

Windblade continued to wiggle her fingers in a mystic manor. "No promises."

They drank and chatted for another couple of hours before the party dispersed. Starscream and Wheeljack walked home, not taking the chance in their vehicle modes. Wheeljack was a little wobbly on his feet, but his hand around Starscream's was firm.

"That was fun."

Wheeljack nodded. "Uh-huh."

"I haven't seen you drunk in a long time."

"You're drunk."

Starscream chuckled. "Not as drunk as you."

"Hold on, let's stop a minute." Wheeljack tugged Starscream’s hand a little to get him to stop walking.

Starscream stood in front of him and waited for him to do something. Wheeljack grabbed Starscream's other hand and took a few steps forward until they were flush together. Wheeljack rested his head on Starscream's chest and wrapped his arms around his waist.

"I'm really happy," Wheeljack muttered, closing his eyes.

Starscream wrapped his arms around his lover. "Me too."

"I'm so happy I might cry."

Wheeljack started to cry.

"Aw," Starscream pouted. "Why are you crying."

"I'm just- I'm just so happy."

Starscream smiled. He gave Wheeljack a kiss on the head. "Daww. You're so cute when you're drunk." Starscream gave the top of Wheeljack's head a kiss. "Do you want to go home so we can cuddle?"

Wheeljack nodded. "Yeah."

"Alright, let's get you home. You're going to have to let go of me."

"Let go of you?" Wheeljack looked up at him. "No. I don't wanna do that."

"Dear, if we're going to get home, you're going to have to let go of me."

Wheeljack rested his head back on Starscream's chest. "We can stay here then," he sighed.

Starscream put his hand in Wheeljack's arms. "Wheeljack? Let go of me please."

Wheeljack's arms dropped immediately. He took a step back.

"Thank you, dear." Starscream took his hand and started walking. "Come on, let's get you home."

The walk home was slow going, but they made it. Starscream sat Wheeljack down at the kitchen table and made him drink two cubes of energon before they went to bed. Wheeljack was still a little wobbly, so he used Starscream to steady himself as they went to the bedroom. As soon as they laid down, Wheeljack cuddled up to his lover, burying his head in the crook of Starscream's neck.

"Hey star."

Starscream let out a long vent. "Yes?"

"Guess what."

"What?"

"You have to guess."

Starscream hummed. "You're tired."

"I am. But that's not it."

"What is it then? I'm tired, I don't feel like guessing."

"I love you."

"Aw, but I already knew that."

"I know," Wheeljack closed his eyes. "I just like to say it sometimes."

* * *

Starscream worked one day a week as a file clerk at some big law firm. They had another file clerk for the weekdays, and Starscream came in on the weekends. As he worked, he thought about the conjunxing ceremony. He and Wheeljack hadn’t even made up an invitation yet. Every once in a while, when Starscream got an idea, he stopped when he was doing, and scribbled something down on a datanote. Sometimes he doodled design ideas. According to Wheeljack people usually decorated their invitations, made them pretty looking.

After work, Starscream walked to the smoothie shop on the corner and sat there for a while, flipping through his phone for ceremony ideas and memes. Every once in a while he sent something to Wheeljack to see if he liked it. In his search, Starscream found a few websites that he could use to design and send the invites through.

Starscream decided to be proactive. He was close to the natural history museum, so he stopped there to see what he could find out about using it as a venue. The person at the desk told him the rates and showed him the room options on a pamphlet.

“If you call or go online, there’s more info there,” he said. “My manager could tell you more, but he’s on lunch.”

Starscream accepted the pamphlets and list of rates. “This is good for now, thank you.”

Starscream flew home. He went right down to the lab where Wheeljack was working, and waited on the sidelines for Wheeljack to stop welding before he approached.

“Wheeljack.”

Wheeljack took off his goggles and turned around. “Hey. I’m just gonna finish this up.”

“Take your time.”

Wheeljack worked for about five more minutes before taking off his goggles and setting them on the workbench. He turned around and opened his arms for Starscream to step into. Starscream wrapped his arms around Wheeljack’s neck and wagged the papers behind his head. “I got some info on our venue, it’s a lot more expensive than we anticipated.”

“Maybe we should just have it at the science museum then. We can do it at the big nice one, I gave them a bunch of stuff, maybe they’ll let us have it for free.”

“I’ll go check it out tomorrow, I’m not working.”

“We can look it up online.”

“We can’t look up online whether or not they’ll give it to us for free.”

“Who’s makin’ dinner tonight?”

“I think it’s my turn.”

“Okay, I’ll cook then.”

“We need to decide what kind of food we’re having, and who’s making it.”

“Are we gonna have a cake?”

“Is there cake at these things?”

“Sometimes. Not always.”

Starscream pulled back and placed his hands on Wheeljack’s shoulders. “You want a cake, don’t you?”

“I do, I want a cake.”

Starscream slumped. “It’s another expense.”

“To be fair, I’m the one paying for it.”

Starscream twisted his lip. “I won’t stop you. But you can handle that yourself, I don’t like cake very much at all.”

“This is becoming a bigger event than originally anticipated.”

“Yes, but I think it will be okay. Do you want to go to the museum together tomorrow to arrange all that?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you done for the night?”

“I can be.”

“Are you?”

“I can be.”

Starscream shrugged. “Alright, you’re making dinner?”

“Yup.”

Wheeljack followed Starscream upstairs. Starscream sat at the kitchen table while Wheeljack made dinner. If Starscream put his mind to it, he could probably learn to cook. But he didn’t care enough about human looking food to put his mind to it. Maybe if Wheeljack got sick or something, Starscream would learn how to make human looking food for him.

Starscream suddenly felt a sinking feeling in his chest. The prospect of Wheeljack getting so sick Starscream would have to learn how to make human food for him was terrifying.

Starscream stood up and wrapped his arms around Wheeljack from behind.

“Hey,” Wheeljack said, continuing what he was doing as if nothing had changed.

Starscream rocked them a little.

Wheeljack turned his head and brushed Starscream’s cheek with his chin. “What’s up?”

“I had a sad thought.”

“Aw.”

“I just felt like hugging you.”

Wheeljack gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Hug as long as ya need.”

Starscream muttered something indecipherable.

“You wanna talk about it?” Wheeljack asked.

Starscream shook his head. “It's nothing major. Just a brief, unpleasant thought, about something bad happening to you.”

“Aw.”

“Mhm.”

“Dinner’s almost ready.”

Starscream gave Wheeljack’s shoulder a kiss, then let go. “I’ll let you finish up.”

Starscream returned to the table and sat down. Wheeljack served dinner. Starscream almost never paid attention to what he was eating, it was probably great. Having so many new and different flavors was still something he wasn’t acostom to. Starscream realized, fairly quickly after human looking food became popular, that he had a poor sense of taste. Wheeljack loved cooking, so Starscream ate everything he cooked.

“Want to watch a movie tonight?” Starscream asked.

“Sure. Got one in mind?”

“No. I thought we’d scroll for an hour, pick smething neither of us would pay attention to, then start making out on the couch and eventually have sex.”

“Oh, alright, you wanna skip the middleman?”

“No, I’m not in the mood right this moment, but I feel the mood coming.”

“Let me know when you’re ready.”

“Uh-huh.”

Starscream cleaned up after dinner. As soon as the dishes were clean he turned around, spread his wings, and said. “Okay, we can skip the middleman.”

Wheeljack stood up. “You wanna go to the bedroom?”

Starscream smirked. “Just ravish me right here.”

Wheeljack rushed forward and wrapped his arms around Starscream’s waist and went right for the neck. Starscream lifted his chin to make room.

Wheeljack’s hands were all over the place. “Ya know, I had an idea,” he said between kisses. He gave Starscream’s aft a firm squeeze with both hands. Starscream squeaked,

“Was that your idea?” Starscream laughed.

“No, ha, no, I had a thought about the invitations.”

“Oh, the invitations, okay,” Starscream hitched his leg up to Wheeljack’s hip. Wheeljack grabbed him under the knee.

“They should be red, with black letters.”

Starscream squawked a laugh. “What? Are we inviting them to our sex dungeon.”

“Oh, yeah, now that you say that.”

“I think we can move to the bedroom.”

“Alright, get on.”

Starscream wrapped both legs around Wheeljack’s waist, Wheeljack held him under the aft and carried them to the bedroom.

“Don’t drop me,” Starscream said.

“I’ll try,” Wheeljack grunted, trying to carefully lay his lover in the bed. He succeeded in falling on top of him.

“Knock the wind out of me, really sets the mood,” Starscream wheezed.

“You told me not to drop you.” Wheeljack repositioned himself so all of his weight was not on Starscream.

They continued on with the sex, and also discussing what they were going to do about the invitations. By Starscream’s first overload, they had decided that the invitations would be cream colored with black and gold decorations, and black lettering. By Wheeljack’s first overload, they figured out that planning this whole thing would be a lot more complicated than they thought, considering it took them three days to decide what the invitations would look like. On both of their second overloads, they thought to themselves about it.

Starscream took a deep vent as Wheeljack settled beside him in the berth.

“We should really shower.” Starscream said.

“Yeah, I’m sticky.”

In the shower, they washed each other's backs, and discussed their plans further. The venue was set, if they could get it, that much was easy. But they had no idea what to do about feeding people, or music, or theme, or really much of anything else.

“You know what?” Starscream said. “I know I don’t know anything about this stuff, but I think we’re thinking too hard about this.” He used one of the hand sprayers to wash his thighs. “Let’s have red table cloths, we can get the band that plays at Maccadam’s all the time, Swindle can find us a caterer, and we’ll have a two tiered chocolate cake with white frosting and red flowers.”

“What about centerpieces?”

“Who gives a frag about centerpieces?”

“People care.”

“Do you care?”

“I mean, I care a little.”

Starscream sprayed Wheeljack in the face. “Jackie, do you want a big, nice, fancy ceremony?” He cocked a brow. “Because you told me you didn’t.”

“I know, but now I’m thinkin’ about it, and I don’t want it to be huge, and over-the-top, but I want a very nice, small party.”

“So you want centerpieces.”

“I do want centerpieces. But not anything over the top.”

“Okay, let’s take this one step at a time. We have a venue, we have invitations, we have tablecloth colors, we just need food and centerpieces.”

“And booze.”

“And a cake.”

“We got this.”

Starscream turned off the shower. “We got this.”

* * *

Starscream sat with his wings high, supporting himself on his elbows, face hovering right over the datapad he'd been staring at for the past hour.

Centerpieces.

The love of his life wanted centerpieces, and he couldn’t decide what kind he wanted. So the task had been given to Starscream. He had to choose the centerpieces that he didn’t care about. Wheeljack had given him little to no idea what he actually wanted. Instead he left for a meeting in Vos, and told Starscream that he could make the rest of the decisions.

Starscream clenched his fists.

He picked up the datapad, threw it against the wall, and pulled a different datpad out of his subspace.

Normally Starscream would be happy to do whatever Wheeljack asked him to do. Their work was generally equal in the house, and Starscream didn’t have a job, so if Wheeljack needed help in the lab, Starscream was happy to help.

But this was their ceremony. They were supposed to be planning it together, but so far Wheeljack had left all of the work to Strascream.

Starscream had gone to the science museum to secure the venue by himself, despite being told they would both go. Starscream had used a website to create and send out invitations. Starscream had ordered the table cloths, and asked Swindle to find them a caterer, and called the band at Maccadam’s to see if they were available, and now, Starscream was choosing the centerpieces.

Centerpieces that he didn't even care about.

But Wheeljack cared about them, so Starscream was doing it.

Starscream wrote down all of those feelings, and decided he would have to talk to Wheeljack about it later.

For now, he would pick centerpieces. Wheeljack had left him the task, which meant he would like whatever Starscream picked. Trying to make the best out of an irritating situation, Starscream tried to get into it. He designed his own centerpiece, found a local artist, and called to see if they were available for a large commission.

Starscream went to the artist’s workshop himself, showed them his design, and discussed the color scheme and all of the other important things about what he wanted.

By the end of it, Starscream felt satisfied with himself. He got a smoothie, sat on a park bench, and called Wheeljack.

“I’m mad at you,” was the first thing Starscream said.

“Like, actually mad, or playful mad?”

“Actually mad.”

“Oh.”

“I commissioned the centerpieces, but Wheeljack, do you realize you’ve left every single piece of work to me? That I’ve done everything so far?”

“Whataya mean?”

“I mean, I’ve made half the decisions and finalized about 75% of the plans. That’s not fair, I don’t like that.”

“Really? That much?”

“Yes. We chose the venue and the invitations together, and we made the guest list together, but I’m the one who secured the venue, and I’m the one who sent out the invitations, and I’m the one who ordered the table cloths, and found someone to find us a caterer, and I was just at an artist’s shop commissioning the centerpieces that I thought you would order because you really wanted them.”

Wheeljack was quiet for a moment.

“I’m sorry, Star, I didn’t realize how lazy I’d been.”

“I don’t think it’s laziness, I know you’re busy, and I’m not very busy, I just want you to be more present.”

“Okay, ya know what, don’t touch anything until I get back, and as soon as I’m back we’ll start planning the rest of this together, okay?”

Starscream twisted his lip. “I have Swindle bringing me samples tomorrow. Will you be home by tomorrow?”

“I can make it happen.”

Starscream smiled. “Okay. Thank you for listening.”

“Thank you for telling me.”

They hung up. Starscream finished his smoothie and got another. Out of habit, he started looking at ceremony ideas on his phone. After a few minutes, he forced himself to close the tabs, and instead looked at memes. There was time, there was no rush, Wheeljack would be home tomorrow and they would get everything done then,he would just have to wait.

But Starscream had never been the best at waiting.

There wasn’t anything else to do, so Starscream went home, went to bed, and slept until the early morning.

* * *

Starscream was awoken by a series of soft kisses on the cheek. Without opening his eyes, he moved his head in the direction of the kiss and tried to capture a kiss of his own. His lips met the soft, damaged derma of his lover, and caught the corner of his lip. Starscream hummed softly, still unwilling to open his eyes.

“Morning,” Wheeljack muttered. “You’re in bed late.”

Starscream moved his lips, and made a sound, but no real words came out.

“Do you feel okay?”

Starscream managed a shrug.

“What time did you go to bed?”

Starscream made an ‘I don’t know,’ sound.

Wheeljack buried his head in the crook of Strscream’s neck. “You’re really cute, but you’re really worrying me.”

Starscream pouted. “Why?”

“‘Cause you been sleepin’ for a long time, and usually when this happens you’re depressed.”

“How long have you been home?”

“A few hours. When did you go to bed?”

“Before dinner.”

“Aw, Star.”

“I was just bored.”

“It’s after noon.”

“How far after noon?”

“Three.”

“It’s already three?”

Starscream still hadn’t opened his eyes.

“Maybe I am depressed.”

Wheeljack got off the berth and walked around to Starscream’s side. Wheeljack put one arm under Starscream’s shoulder and the other under his knees, and lifted him off the berth, only to place him on his feet.

“Come on, sleepy, let’s get up.”

Starscream leaned against Wheeljack, still refusing to open his eyes. “Tired.”

“You just think you’re tired, you’ve been sleeping for 21 hours.”

“That’s a long time,” Starscream grumbled.

“We’ll get ya cleaned up, get you a smoothie, and we’ll be good.”

“I don’t think I’m depressed, I think I’m bored.”

“You really need a hobby.”

“Uh-huh.”

Starscream took a shower. Wheeljack was good on his promise. They went to get smoothies, and sat in the park.

“So, do you still wanna discuss the ceremony today?” Wheeljack asked.

“I do. You should look at what I’ve done so far.”

“Okay, do you have it with you?”

“Mhm,” Starscream produced the datapad with all of the information on it.

Wheeljack gave it a quick look. “So we still need a cake, our cloaks, the food, and that’s it?”

“And the booze.”

“Right, and the booze.” Wheeljack took out his own light pen and wrote something down. “I’ll take care of that, and the cake, you said white with red flowers, right? I think that’ll look nice. Is Swindle still coming over with food stuff?”

“Oh, shit,” Starscream checked his phone. “Look at that, four missed calls. So I guess not.”

“Call him back, I’ll talk to him.”

Starscream handed the phone over. Wheeljack chatted with Swindle for almost an hour, discussing the types of food Swindle had picked out for them to sample. They also discussed when Swindle became a ceremony planner. He wasn’t, but Starscream knew he could trust him to get things, illegal or otherwise, so he was the first person Starscream thought of when it came to finding them a caterer.

Wheeljack scheduled another sampling for the next afternoon. When that was done, he handed the phone back.

“That’s all set. On my way back from Vos I looked up a few local pastry shops, a few that do cakes. You wanna go check them out?”

Starscream finished off his smoothie. “Sure.”

They went to three cake shops before deciding on one. The rest of the evening was spent planning, calling people, and looking over what they had already done. They sat together on the couch, finishing off their evening with a movie, and some additional planning for smaller details.

“See what we can do when both of us do it?” Starscream said.

“Yeah,” Wheeljack gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I’m sorry I wasn’t more involved.”

“It’s alright. To be honest, I think I sort of just took it upon myself to get everything done.”

“Yeah, but I was really flaky with decision making. You’re good at being decisive.”

Starscream scooted closer and threw one of his legs over Wheeljack’s knees. “Now that we have the ceremony taken care of,” Starscream wrapped his arms around Wheeljack’s neck. “When are you going to become conjunx?”

“I thought we’d do it at the ceremony.”

“In front of everyone?”

“In part.”

Starscream threw his other leg over Wheeljack’s knees and pulled him closer. “I don’t think I want to do it all in front of them. The acts are very intimate.”

“We don’t have to, then. We can become conjunx whenever you want.”

Starscream gave Wheeljack a kiss on the cheek. “I want to start now,” he whispered. “I want to do the first act now.”

Wheeljack took Starscream under the legs and stood, Starscram wrapped his arms around Wheeljack’s neck and let himself be carried to the bedroom.

They laid down beside each other, face to face, hands held between them.

“I feel like we’ve conjunxed a hundred times over,” Wheeljack whispered.

“I think we have.” Starscream moved even closer. “For the second act, I don’t know if you have anything to tell me that I don’t already know.”

Wheeljack glanced to the berth. “I have something,” he said, his lips hardly moving.

Starscream placed his hand upon Wheeljack’s cheek. “We don’t have to do the second act now. Tonight it's just about this.”

“If we fall asleep, does it still count?”

“As long as we keep touching each other, I think it would be fine.”

Wheeljack’s eyes drifted closed. “I don’t think that will be a problem.”

* * *

Swindle brought samples for three dinners and fifteen horderves. Starscream let Wheeljack pick what they would have at the ceremony. Everything tasted the same to Starscream. Wheeljack decided on all three dinners, and all fifteen different types of horderves.

“Isn’t that going to be expensive?” Starscream asked.

“I like giving people options.”

"It's not even that big a ceremony."

"We saved so much money on the venue, figured we could splurge a little on food."

Starscream twisted his lip. "Alright, if you think so." He muttered.

Swindle was still standing in front of them, a satisfied smile on his face. "So, I should make the arrangements?" He asked.

"Yeah, make it happen," Wheeljack said.

"Great," Swindle took out a light pen and a datapad. "How many units?"

"Oh, uh-" Wheeljack itched at his fin. "I haven't thought about it. Can I get back to you?"

Swindle put his datapad away. "Sure thing." He turned his attention to Starscream. "Screamer, when do I get paid?"

"When you're done. You're not done yet."

"Half."

Starscream rolled his eyes. "Fine." He retrieved the shanix from his money box in the bedroom, and gave Swindle half of what he was owed.

Swindle counted twice.

"Come on, Swindle, you know I don't lie anymore." Starscream said.

"Always gotta check." Swindle closed his fist around the money. "Pleasure, Screamer. I'll make the arrangements as soon as hubby here gets me the numbers."

Starscream shook his head. "Why does everyone keep calling him that?"

Swindle took his leave. Starscream and Wheeljack cleaned up after the sampling.

"How much are you paying him?" Wheeljack asked.

"Only a hundred shanix."

"That seems like a lot."

"I don't think so. He spent hours looking for that food and even longer going to all of those places, arranging tastings, then bringing it here to us, then making all of the arrangements to get it to the ceremony."

"Oh, so you're underpaying him."

Starscream shrugged. "That's all he asked for. I offered more, but he only wanted that." Starscream's wings twitched. He smacked himself in the forehead. "Oh duh. I know why he didn't ask for so much."

"Whataya thinkin'?"

"I think he wants to come."

"Why would he want to come?"

"The poster couple for Autobot and Decepticon relations getting hitched? That's history right there, and Swindle likes to make himself seem more important than he is."

"You really think that's it?"

"He also likes a good party, but I guarantee he's also in it for the photo-op. He's probably working for the media, the little weasel."

"Are you gonna invite him?"

"Yes. But I'm not going to tell him where the ceremony is until the day of."

"If you're okay with it, I'm okay with it."

"I'll work it out."

They finished cleaning up. The rest of the day was relatively uneventful. Wheeljack did some work, Starscream searched for a hobby online. They worked in separate places in the house, and only reconvened at night for a light dinner and bed. As they laid there, Starscream muttered about picking up a hobby until one of them fell asleep.

The next week was spent at home for the most part. Wheeljack sent Swindle the amount of food they would need. Starscream was sent one out of six centerpieces by the artist to get his approval. Wheeljack got to see them for the first time, and immediately loved it.

The centerpiece was a pyramid of glass with gold edges and red crystal flowers inside and around the bottom. Starscream emailed the artist to tell him that they looked perfect and to go forward with the rest of them.

A week after that, the tablecloths arrived at the house. Starscream stuck them under the bed so they weren’t in the way. Swindle came back to them that same week with a printed menu for the evening, something Starscream had not asked him to do, but appreciated nonetheless. When asked if he wanted additional compensation for the work, Swindle declined. This further cemented Starscream’s belief that Swindle was looking for an invitation.

The week after that, people started sending their R.S.V.Ps, everyone could come, and everyone was bringing a plus one. Wheeljack had already ordered enough food for this situation, plus a little extra for wedding crashers.

Two months before the ceremony Starscream realized they needed tables. Something that seemed obvious, when he thought about it. Wheeljack used the same connections he’d used to get the booze, to get the tables and chairs.

That same day, they were eating dinner together, when Wheeljack put down his fork, placed his hands on the table, and said. “I’m ready for the second act.”

Starscream stopped eating. He nodded. “Okay.”

They sat cross legged on the bed, face to face. Starscream intertwined their finger, his eyes never leaving Wheeljack's downtrodden face.

Wheeljack retracted his mask.

"For the first two years we were dating, I convinced myself, to my spark, that I didn't love you, and you didn't love me. That I was just a piece in some elaborate scheme of yours, and when it ended, I wouldn't be hurt." Wheeljack paused. "It took me a long time to realize that, no, there was no trick. Our relationship was as genuine as they come. But that awakened a whole new kind of fear. I let people get into my head. The media, the hate tabloids, all the Autobots who shamed me for dating you, I let them get to me. Fifty years in I was gonna end it. I had a date and time and I was gonna end it, I was so sure, I was ready to say those words."

Wheeljack's jaw clenched. His voice cracked. "Then, and I remember the night, I was so upset, I was so upset with what I was about to do, but I was gonna do it anyways because everyone had convinced me it was right. But you noticed that there was somethin' off in me, and you did everything in your power to make me feel better. Even if it was just a kiss on the cheek, or your beautiful smile, you did everything. And Primus, I beat myself up after that. Listening to all of the people, hell people who were even worse than you, back in the day, Drift, for Primus' sake. I listened to them instead of listening to myself and I almost lost this," his hand flexed around Starscream's. "I ain't ever told anyone that. Not you, especially."

They fell into silence.

Starscream scooted closer. He planted a soft kiss on Wheeljack's scared lips. "Thank you for telling me," he whispered.

Wheeljack ran his fingertips down Starscream's chest. "I never have feelings like that anymore."

"I know."

"I love you."

"I know."

* * *

When the time came, the gift they gave each other were the cloaks that were to be worn for the ceremony. Starscream's was embroidered with a crown, an elaborate pattern involving many wispong lines and spark flowers, a spark, a sun, and a star.

Wheeljack's was embroidered with a brain module, a spark, a constellation, the two moons of cybertron, and also involved an intricate, wispy pattern.

The cloaks were gifted a month before the ceremony. That same night, Wheeljack told Starscream the act of devotion.

This was Wheeljack's least favorite act.

The idea that he could ask his lover to do anything as a sign of commitment felt wrong.

So Wheeljack asked for something he already had, but was rarely given.

"Your spark," Wheeljack muttered, staring at the center of Starscream's chest and resting his fingertips gently upon it. "If you'll have me."

Starscream wrapped his fingers around Wheeljack’s wrist “I’ll have you.”

Starscream led them to the berth, laid down on his back, and opened his chest to the spark above his own. Wheeljack’s gentle lips dusted kisses down Starscream’s neck, his fingers tickling the edges of Starscream’s plating.

Starscream’s nimble fingers rested gently on Wheeljack’s cheek. Wheejack leaned into the touch.

Starscream kissed the corner of Wheeljack’s mouth, gasping when their spark's pulled towards one another.

Starscream spoke softly. “I trust you.”

* * *

The ceremony was three days away when Starscream began to feel sick. A large part of him thought it was nerves, the small, paranoid part of him, was worried someone at a smoothie shop was trying to poison him. Wheeljack got himself a smoothie from almost every place in town to help douse any doubts Starscream had, and assure him that going to all of his favorite places for one of his favorite foods was still okay.

“Are you sure,” Starscream said.

Wheeljack nodded, finishing off the last smoothie. “None of them tasted weird. And I feel totally fine.”

“Right now, but maybe you’ll feel funny later.”

“Do I have to call yer therapist? I’ll do it, you know I will.”

Starscream pouted. “No, don’t call her. I’ll tell her myself.”

Wheeljack spotted Starscream’s cheek with kisses. “Get some rest.”

Starscream wrapped his arms around Wheeljack’s shoulders. “I’d rest better if you’d rest with me.”

“I guess I can spare a few minutes.”

A few minutes turned into a couple hours. After that, Starscream felt refreshed, and the turn in his tanks had gone away. Though Starscream still felt he should wait and see how the smoothies affected Wheeljack for another day, that did not stop him from making a smoothie of his own with the ingredients they had. He hummed as he threw everything into a blender.

“Ya know, if we have the ingredients, why do you buy them?” Wheeljack asked.

Starscream shrugged. “It fulfills my need to fill my life with purpose by purchasing things.”

“Aw, don’t kid, I know you’d steal it all if you could.”

Starscream turned on the blender. “I’m sorry, I can’t hear you over my not-stealing things.”

Wheeljack laughed. Starscream dumped his smoothie into a glass and sat down at the kitchen table. “So, is everything ready?”

“For the ceremony? Yeah, it’s all in order.”

“Are we sure?”

“Double triple checked this morning.”

“I’ll check again so we have both our eyes on it.”

“Did you give Swindle his invitation yet?”

“Not yet, I was going to do it tomorrow. Probably in a dark alley, alone, somewhere across town.”

Wheeljack furrowed his brow. “Are you really?”

“I might.” Starscream took a sip of his smoothie. “I wish I had a straw.”

“Hey, would you stop spendin’ all my money on smoothies if I made you one everyday?”

Starscream shoved him playfully in the shoulder. “I do not spend your money.”

“I know, I know, I kid.” Wheeljack twisted his lip and made a sound deep in his throat. “What do you think the headline will be this time? Screamer Marries Rich?”

“The Gold Digger Finally Hit it Big.”

“Despite The Fact That They’ve Been Dating For 300 Years, We Still Think He’s Just There For The Money.”

“We’re Surprised Wheeljack’s Not Dead Yet.”

“Can’t Be Long Now.”

They laughed together, Starscream slapped the table. He suddenly stopped laughing. “Oh, I had an idea.”

“What’s that?”

“So I imagine that Swindle will want to take some secret pictures. I thought we’d cut him a deal.”

“What kind of deal?”

“He’s allowed to take professional looking pictures of us and the rest of the party, but he’s only allowed to sell one to the media. If he sells more than one, I’ll ruin him. That sounds fair, doesn’t it?”

“You’ll ruin him?”

“Socially.”

“Ah, okay.”

“What were you thinking?”

“Nothing specific.”

“Were you thinking murder?”

“I was thinking murder.”

* * *

Starscream held the million dollar invitation between two fingers. Swindle was smiling so wide his teeth were showing. He wiggled his grubby little fingers and chuckled to himself. At the very last second Starscream pulled the prize away and replaced it with one taloned finger.

“Ah, ah, ah, I have conditions.”

Swindle frowned. “I did your job, what more do you want?”

“Your cooperation. I know your game, Swindle, you only want to make money.”

“Ya got me, Screamer.”

“So let’s cut a deal. You want pictures for the press? You can take them on three conditions.”

“Alright, name them.”

“You can take pictures, but they’ll be out in the open, in a professional manner, and I will tell you when to point your camera, and where.”

“Sounds fair.”

“I get to pick which ones you sell to the media, you only get three.”

“Fair enough.”

“And I get 65% of the profit from the sale of those photos-” he wagged the invitation. “And this invite.”

Swindle twisted his lip and rubbed his chin.

Starscream tapped the invitation against his cheek. “Tik. Tok. Tik. Tok.”

Swindle wagged his hands. “Alright, alright, alright, make it fifty and you’ve got a deal.”

Starscream hummed. He held out his hand. “Deal.”

Swindle’s smile returned. He shook Starscream’s hand and accepted the invitation with relish. As soon as he saw it the smile disappeared. “Hey, wait a minute, there’s no location on here! What are you selling, Screamer?”

“I’ll comm you the location tomorrow. I can’t let you alert the media to where the ceremony is, the last thing I need is a hundred cameras at our door to ruin the party. So if you promise to keep everyone away, then I promise to give you the legitimate million dollar invitation at the end of the night.”

Swindle frowned. “Alright, fine. But you better keep to your word.”

Starscream smirked. “As long as I like the pictures, we won’t have an issue.”

* * *

The ceremony was two hours away, and Starscream was sipping a smoothie at one of the five tables. He lazily set out labels for who was seated where while Wheeljack made the final adjustments to the rest of the tables. He re-centered the centerpieces and straightened the chairs. He adjusted the table cloths three times over, and swapped the seating everytime he so much as looked at the labels.

“Wheeljack, darling, can you please stop fussing?” Starscream said. “And here you thought I was going to be bad.”

“I just want it to look nice.”

“Wheeljack,” Starscream put his smoothie down and stood up. “It looks wonderful. Everything looks wonderful.” He took Wheeljack by the shoulders and kept him in place. “And even if it didn’t, who cares?”

“I cares.”

“Our love is not stored in the centerpieces.”

Wheeljack retracted his mask to reveal the pout. “Okay. You’re right.”

Starscream frowned. “This is supposed to be a happy occasion. I don’t like to see you stressing over the little things like this.”

Wheeljack shrugged. “Nerves. Whaddya gonna do?”

“I sympathise.”

Starscream made Wheeljack sit down and take a breather. He brought him a drink, gave him some alone time, then some kisses, and by the time the ceremony rolled around, Wheeljack’s nerves had been sated. While everyone was filing in and getting settled, Starscream stole Swindle away so he could take their ceremony photos around the museum.

Swindle was using a professional looking camera. They took pictures in front of a couple of Wheeljack displays. A few photos for fun, a couple in the main hallway where the lighting was just right. When the planned photos were finished and all of the guests had arrived, Starscream and Wheeljack returned to the reception space hand-in-hand.

Starscream briefly bounced on his heels, squeezing Wheeljack’s hand. “It feels so odd, and so wonderful,” he smiled so wide his teeth were showing. “They’re celebrating us.”

Someone in the crowd called. “Hey, there’s the happy couple!” And everyone raised their drinks and cheered.

Starscream and Wheeljack crossed the room and went to the microphone in front of the band.

“Thank you, everyone, for coming,” Starscream said, still holding tightly to Wheeljack’s hand. “I’m sure you’ve all just been waiting for this event. After 300 years, did anyone think it was going to happen?”

That got a few laughs.

“Heh. Yeah, I wasn’t sure either. But-” Starscream pulled Wheeljack forward a little. “Conjunx or not, I was sure I was going to spend the rest of my life with this mech. I’m more sure now than ever, if that’s even possible.”

Wheeljack couldn’t help himself, he gave Starscream a peck on the cheek before taking over the microphone. He whispered into it, pointing at Starscream.

“That’s my husband.”

The guests laughed.

Starscream grabbed the mic. “We already performed the four acts in private, so tonight we celebrate! Enjoy the party. Make sure to fill out the dinner sheet, we’ll tell everyone when it’s time to sit down.” Starscream rattled off at the end. “Drunk unruly people will be promptly kicked out. Have fun!”

As soon as Starscream turned away from the mic, Wheeljack grabbed him around the waist and planted a kiss on the bottom of his chin. “What are we havin’ fer dinner?”

Starscream laughed. “We should get out of the way of the band.”

“People can dance without music,” Wheeljack nipped at the bottom of Starscream’s chin.

Starscream chuckled, moving his chin out of reach. “No no, no getting frisky. We need to get out of the way.” He dragged them away from the band, and took them to their table, where a dinner sheet was waiting for them. Starscream picked it up and briefly read it over before handing it to his conjunx.

“Wheeljack, my love, would you pick something out for me?”

One of Wheeljack’s hands removed itself from Starscream’s plating. The other stayed behind.

Wheeljack used one hand to fill out both sheets, then handed them off to a waiter.

“You could have used two hands,” Starscream said.

Wheeljack immediately replaced his bare hand upon Starscream’s hip. “Then I’d have to stop touching you.”

“Oh, and that would truly be tragic, wouldn’t it?”

“It would be, especially now,” Wheeljack pressed his front to Starscream’s, and rested his head in his chest. “I dunno why, but for some reason, I don’t wanna be an inch away from you.”

A smile crept onto Starscream’s lip. “I may know why,” he pushed Wheeljack gently by the shoulders, just enough so they could look each other in the face. “I was going to save this until later, but now seems as good a time as ever.” Starscream placed a gentle talon upon his own chest. He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “It seems I’ve got an extra spark in my chest.”

Wheeljack’s finials blinked, he cocked his head. “Huh?”

Starscream rolled his eyes, but the smile stayed on. “I’m sparked, Wheeljack,” he whispered. “Sparked.”

Wheeljack’s finials blinked. “Oh,” he glanced between Starscream’s face and chest. “Oh. Oh! Oh my god!” Wheeljack wrapped Starscream in a hug and jumped up and down. “We’re gonna have a sparkling.”

Starscream made him stop jumping and giggled out a “Shh, sh, sh. Not so loud, it’s supposed to be a secret.”

Wheeljack switched to whispering. “Right, okay,” he couldn’t stop staring at Starscream’s chest. “Can I listen to it?”

“You can try, just make it look like a hug.”

Wheeljack wrapped his arms tightly around Starscream and placed his head against his chest. Starscream, inturn, wrapped his arms around Wheeljack’s head.

As soon as Wheeljack heard the quiet flutter of his newspark he squeezed tighter.

“I was going to wait,” Starscream said. “Ratchet said I should. Just in case it didn’t survive.”

“It sounds strong.”

“Like us.”

Wheeljack buried his face in the center of Strascream’s chest. “Oh, Star, oh Star oh Star, oh Star. Have I told you today that I love you?”

“I don’t know if you have.”

“Then I have committed a crime, on all days.”

“I think you can make it up with a few choice words.”

Wheeljack lifted his head. “I love you.”

“I knew that.”

“I’m gonna love our sparkling.”

“That makes me happy.”

“You make me happy.”

“I hope I’m not the only thing.”

“You’re at the top of the list.”

“That, I do hope.”

Wheeljack laughed. He took a deep vent and let it out slowly. “This is our night.”

“One of many.”

“They’re celebrating us.”

“As they should be.”

“I got all this booze and you can’t take a single sip.”

“You are on a roll tonight, my love.”

“Aw, I love when you say sweet things to me. Say it again.”

“My love.”

Wheeljack giggled. “One more time.”

“You’re drunk already.”

“One more time, one more time.”

“My love.”

“I love the way my name sounds comin’ outta yer mouth.”

“That’s not even your name, you are drunk.”

Wheeljack buried his head deeper in Starscream’s chest. “No I’m not.”

Starscream let Wheeljack stay like that for another few minutes, before making him move. They had to go, converse, interact with their party guests. After the private announcement of the sparkling, Wheeljack really could not stop touching his conjunx. Whether it be his hand, hip, back, anywhere he could, Wheeljack kept at least one hand on Starscream at all times.

“There they are,” Ironhide said. “Finally come down from the love fest you two had goin’ on over there?”

Wheeljack bounced on his heels for once seconds. He shrugged, full of pent up energy and excitement. “Love fest, that’s this whole thing, ain’t it? Just a party to celebrate our love. We’re allowed to be touchy feely here.”

Ironhide nodded. “Guess I can’t argue with that.”

Wheeljack leaned on Starscream. After Ironhide they got drinks, and moved onto the next group of party guests. Windblade and Chromia were chatting with Rattrap by one of the food tables. Windblade’s plate was filled to the peak, as expected.

Starscream grabbed two horderves off the top of Windblade’s mountain and popped them in his mouth.

“Hello Windblade,” he said, his mouth still half full. He swallowed. “I thought you said I wouldn’t have to see you.”

Windblade smiled. “Starscream. Cordial as always. Congratulations on being conjunxed.”

“Thank you. Now that you’ve said that, you can leave.”

Wheeljack squeezed Starscream’s hand. “Star, be nice. It’s a happy occasion.”

Starscream rolled his eyes. “Fine. But I won’t do it for her, I’m doing it for you.”

Wheeljack smiled. “Thank you.”

“When you smile it makes me want to kiss you.”

“You should give into your urges.”

Strarscream gave him a gentle peck on the lips. They locked eyes, smiled, and stayed that close for almost thirty seconds.

Chromia muttered. “Oh my god, look at them. They’re doing that thing.”

Rattrap nodded. “Yeah, but let ‘em have their thing.”

Windblade cocked her head. “They’re cute,” she looked at her companions. “In a weird, sort of wrong, perfect way.”

Chromia sneered. “They’re excessive.”

Windblade smiled. “I think it’s sweet.”

By now Wheeljack and Starscream had stopped lovingly staring into each other’s eyes. Wheeljack leaned over and whispered. “Do they know we’re standing right here?”

“Sh. Don’t ruin it. I like the gossip.”

“I don’t know, is it wrong to talk bad about the people you’re celebrating at their own party?”

Windblade leaned over to Chromia and whispered. “Do you think they know we can hear them?”

Chromia whispered back. “Yes, I think they know we can hear them.”

Rattrap scratched his head. “I dunno. Look at ‘em go. I don’t even think they see us anymore. Someone wave their hand in front of their faces.”

Wheeljack and Starscream’s conversation seemed to abruptly end.

Starscream smiled. “Well, enjoy the rest of the party,” the smile dropped. “Except you, Windblade.”

Then they walked away.

They made their rounds, ate some food, ate a lot of food, Wheeljack had a few drinks, then a few more. When the time came, everyone sat down for dinner. Starscream had no idea what he was eating, but it tasted fine, what little taste he could get out of it.

Even as they ate, Wheeljack did not relinquish his touch. They kept their hands together on the table. Wheeljack finished first so he could use both hands to touch his conjunx.

Starscream chuckled. “I can only imagine what you’re going to do tonight when we get to bed.”

“Ravish you. Love you. Never take my hands off you. The list goes on.”

“And it’s all the same thing.”

“Uh-huh.”

Wheeljack leaned over and gave Starscream's cheek and jaw a short series of kisses. Starscream squeezed his eyes shut and smiled, happily accepting the affection. When he opened his eyes he was met with Wheeljack’s bright blue optics.

"I love you," Starscream muttered. "I can never say it enough. Ever. Actually, no words will ever suffice."

Wheeljack's pointer finger rubbed circles into the top of Starscream's hand.

"No," Wheeljack captured the hand and gave it a kiss. "Words will never suffice."

Starscream sighed, a soft smile on his face. "I love this party. But honestly, Jackie? I can't wait until we can be alone together."

Wheeljack shrugged. "No one says we can't leave early. Leave everyone else to have a good time. It's our party, we can leave if we want to."

Starscream's smile cracked open. "As tempting as that is," he leaned forward. "We should stay until the end. But," he lowered his voice. "I am getting tired of being so vanilla."

They locked lips. It was their party, reasonably, they could make out for a few seconds (minutes) without being called out on it. Wheeljack's hand wrapped around Starscream's waist. They both almost forgot that they were sitting down, and getting any closer together would result in falling out of their chairs.

It would have been worth it.

Everyone tried their best not to stare, but Drift was mesmerized.

"Damn," he said. "Look at them go," he looked at Ratchet. "How come we never do that."

Ratchet pushed his empty dinner plate to the edge of the table. "We're not obnoxious."

Drift returned his gaze to the makeout session. "I can't look away. It’s amazing."

Ratchet was also watching now. "Good thing we don't need to breathe."

Wheeljack and Starscream separated, their faces warm, arms still wrapped around each other.

"Whew," Wheeljack shook the tingle from his face. "Don't do this to me Star, yer already sparked."

Starscream threw his head back and laughed. “Maybe I shouldn’t encourage you.”

“Can I hug you for the entire rest of the night and not let go?”

“I might be able to arrange that.”

“Just make the guests come to us.” Wheeljack scooted his chair forward until there was almost no room between them. He wrapped his arms around Starscream’s waist, rested his head on his chest, and let all the tension leave his frame.

Starscream chuckled, resting his cheek on top of Wheeljack’s head and hugging back. “You know what’s funny, I don’t think you’ll even have the energy later to make love to me.”

Wheeljack muttered against his chest. “Ya know, you may be right about that.”

By the time dinner was done and the band was hopping, Wheeljack was awake and ready to party. There were a few requests that had been put in by both Starscream and Wheeljack, songs they often listened to in their apartment, and danced to without shame. They stripped their capes and blindly swung each other around the dance floor, crudely singing along to the band as if they were the only people there.

When they were tuckered out they embraced and rocked together, occasionally bouncing to the beat when a more dance-worthy song came on.

At the end of the night Wheeljack leaned back in his chair, one hand holding Starscream's, the other holding a drink. He closed his eyes, hummed one of the songs from earlier, and slowly sipped at his last drink of the night.

Starscream squeezed his hand. “So, was it everything you ever dreamed of?”

Wheeljack’s eyes opened into slits. “You are everything I ever dreamed of.”

Starscream chuckled. He turned in his chair and leaned over to give his conjunx a kiss.

“Aw,” Wheeljack squeezed his eyes shut. “So sweet. Come ‘ere, come ‘ere, I need to tell you somethin’.”

Starsceam leaned a little closer. Wheeljack gave him a peck on the closest part of his face. Starscream laughed and rubbed their faces together. “I love drunk Wheeljack, he’s so sweet to me.”

“I wanna think-- I wanna think I’m sweet on you all the time.” Wheeljack nodded to himself. “I am. I know I am.”

“We should get home. It’s sort of late for two old farts like us.”

Wheeljack’s head lulled to the side. “I dunno who you are callin’ an old fart. I am in my prime,” his head fell back. “My prime. You better watch out, all the bots are gonna be after me,” he muttered to himself. “But they’ll never get any’a this. Oh no, my spark belongs to one.” He lifted his cup and his pointer finger. “One!” He looked at Starscream. “It’s you, you’re the one it belongs to.”

A soft smile slipped onto Strascream’s face. He patted Wheeljack’s thigh before standing up. “Alright, stud, let’s get you home.”

Wheeljack stood up. He took Starscream by the hips, put his head in the center of Starscream's back, and walked out with him. Swindle had volunteered to clean up after the party, most likely so he could collect more souvenirs to sell to collectors or online. Before clean up started, Strascream tucked all of the centerpieces in his subspace, cockpit, and Wheeljack’s cabin. Those were likely to be the most valuable pieces, and he could negotiate a split with Swindle later.

“Hey, Screamer!” Swindle jogged to catch up with them by the door.

Starscream stopped and turned halfway around. “What is it, Swindle?”

Swindle held out one grubby little hand. “I believe I am still owed something.”

Starscream raised one brow, eyeing Swindle’s grabby servos. Then it hit him. “Ah,” he dipped into his subspace and produced Swindle’s real invitation. “As promised.”

Swindle’s smile grew wide, he held the invite in both hands and made sure that the venue was on there. “It has been a pleasure working with you.”

Starscream wagged his finger. “We’re not done yet. Remember my cut.”

“How could I forget? It’ll happen, Screamer, don’t you worry.”

“It-” Starscream squeaked when Wheeljack squeezed his aft. “I almost forgot he was there,” he muttered. Wheeljack laughed to himself. Starscream returned his attention to Swindle. “I have to get him home, but be aware that I’ll know if you swindle me.”

Swindle half saluted with the invitation, holding one hand behind his back. “Oh, I know.” He turned on a heel and started back towards the banquet hall. “Have a nice rest of your night, Screamer! And congrats!”

Starscream chuckled. He turned around, went out in the street, and took Wheeljack home.

* * *

The morning after the ceremony, Wheeljack was still in bed nursing a headache. Strscream brought him his third glass of low grade and got back into bed to cuddle him while he drank. Wheeljack sat up and put his arm around Starscream’s shoulder.

“Damn,” Wheeljack sighed. “I knew I went hard but-” he shook his head. “Not this hard.” He downed the low grade in one go and put the cup on the bedside table with the rest of them. He scooted back down with a groan and wrapped his arms around Starscream.

“Good thing you can’t drink.”

Starscream laughed. “Even if I could, I wouldn’t go that hard.”

“Liar.”

Starscream shrugged. He closed his eyes and took a deep vent. “Swindle is coming with our photos later.”

“Really? That fast?”

“Mhm. He said he got them developed last night. I’m pretty sure he did it illegally, somehow.”

“How do you illegally develop photos?”

“He’d find a way.” Starscream rolled over and gave Wheeljack’s cheek a kiss. “But I have something else I want to talk about.”

Wheeljack closed his eyes and rested his head. “Oh yeah, what’s that.”

“What do you want to do for our honeymoon?"

Wheeljack cracked an eye open. "Our what?"

"That thing, the honeymoon." Starscream sat up. "We never had a word for it, so I'm using the human one. It's the trip you go on after being Conjunxed."

Wheeljack nodded. "Oh, yeah, yeah. That. Well-" he put his hand on Starscream's waist and pulled him back down. "They usually do that for a sparkling, right? But we already got one, so, ya know, we're set."

Starscream hummed, laying down on his back. He trailed one hand absently down the side of Wheeljack's face. "I guess. But think about it like this: it will be our last little vacation before all the sparkling stress hits. Then when the sparkling gets here, we can say goodbye to our sex life."

"I guess that's true. Still. We just had a big party, I dunno if I wanna plan something else right away.”

“Don’t worry about that, I’ll plan it.”

Wheeljack hummed. “I’ll think about it.”

Starscream rolled onto his side and planted kisses up and down Wheeljack’s jaw. “Think about it. Do you know what I’m thinking about?”

“Really? This early?”

“It’s after noon.”

“Oh, right.”

Starscream ran his hands down Wheeljack’s chest. “Are you up for it?”

“If you’ll ride me, I’ll be up for it.”

Starscream squeezed Wheeljack’s warm codpiece. “I can do that.”

Starscream kept at it for almost two hours. It became easier when Wheeljack found his struts and turned them over and started exerting his own energy. After a few good overloads Wheeljack keeled over, fast asleep.

Starscream took a moment to catch his breath. He sat up, lingered for a few seconds, then leaned over, gave Wheeljack a kiss, and got out of bed. He rinsed off in the washracks, and made his way to the front door before Swindle even had the opportunity to knock.

“Creepy.” Swindle said.

Starscream sauntered back inside. “Come in. Put the photos on the kitchen table.”

Swindle looked around the apartment as he moved through it. “So, where’s hubby? I thought you two would be inseparable after last night.”

Starscream pulled the bedroom door closed. “He’s sleeping. He won’t be joining us.”

Swindle’s eyes followed Starscream as he crossed the room. “Damn, Screamer. What did you do? Poison him? Already?”

Starscream sneered. “No, he’s just tired from last night.”

“It’s four in the afternoon.”

“I had sex with him until he fell asleep.”

“Whoa. Damn. What kind of magic array you got under there?”

Starscream rolled his eyes. He planted one fist on his hip and curled his other hand in the air. “You’re here in business.”

“Always right to the point,” Swindle pulled a stack of photos out of a blue envelope and lined them up on the table facing Starscream.

Starscream eyed every photo with a critical optic. Once everything was laid out, Swindle came around to look at them with him. Starscream hummed, picking up one of the photos. “I don’t remember asking for this one.”

It was a photo from later in the night, when Starscream and Wheeljack were both tired from dancing. They were hugging, leaning against each other, eyes closed.

“Listen, Screamer, I got a good eye. I see a good shot, I take it.”

There were a few more like that one. A picture from their makeout session, a few group photos of people who attended. There was one from the very end of the night, Wheeljack reclined in his chair, drunk and still drinking, Strascream relaxed beside him. Most of the photos were run of the mill, basic, but some were nice.

One in particular, caught Starscream’s optic.

He and Wheeljack were standing behind their table, Wheeljack’s hands on Starscream’s hips, one of Starscream’s hands on Wheeljack’s shoulder, the other touching his own chest. Wheeljack’s eyes were bright, Sarscream’s smile was soft.

Starscream suddenly felt a pressure behind his eyes. He knew the sudden influx of squishy emotions was caused by being sparked, but that made it not less annoying. He cleared his throat and picked up the photo. “I want this one.” He gave Swindle a hard look. “You are, under no circumstances, allowed to sell this one to anyone, understand?”

“Yeah, I know the deal-”

“No, I’m serious. Don’t think I don’t know how you operate, Swindle. You are not allowed to sell this one.”

Swindle twisted his lip. “Really? I thought it was one of the better ones to sell, kinda sweet, but vague, media would pay a fortune, but it’s not too revealing-”

“No.”

Swindle blinked at the sternness in Starscream’s voice. “Alright, Screamer, not that one. But you want a final for it? Something to hang on your wall?”

“Yes, absolutely. And-” he picked the one of them dancing and two of the ones that were taken entirely on purpose. “These. And get me a scrapbook size of the rest of them.”

“You got it.” Swindle rubbed his hands together, his sticky smile growing wider. “No which ones am I allowed to sell?”

Starscream picked out the one of them dancing, one taken of them at the table, talking, and one of them greeting the guests at the microphone before the band went on. None of which were taken with permission, but this worked out in their favor. Media outlets didn’t pay as much for photos that appeared to be taken on purpose with the people’s knowledge. Starscream let Swindle have four, selecting one of the purposeful photos just to see what would happen.

Swindle gathered everything back into the envelope and handed it off. “Well, all of these are yours. I’m transferring the media ones separately.”

“I expect my money in a few days.”

Swindle put his hands up in his defense. “No worries, no worries. I’m going to my buyer today, she’s going to love these.”

“Wait, hold on a minute,” Starscream rushed to the bedroom and grabbed one of the centerpieces from under the bed. He presented it to Swindle. “How much do you think you could get for this.”

Swindle twisted his lip. “Ehh, I don’t know. They're in the pictures, but it’s hard to authenticate.”

Starscream flipped it over and showed him the bottom. “They’re inscribed with our names, the date of the ceremony, and the artist's signature.”

Swindle nodded. “Okay, that’ll work. In that case I’ve got a collector lined up who’d kill for it.”

“Kill for it?”

“Kill 55,000 shanix, that is.”

Starscream smirked. “Wonderful. What sort of profit are you looking to turn for all of it?"

Swindle nodded his head back and forth. “Ehh, with my work, split with you. I’m looking at a 70,000 shanix profit, but you’re getting the whole 72,000.”

“And you’re sure that’s what you’ll get?”

Swindle shrugged. “Pretty sure. But hey, it’s an ever changing game.”

“As long as it’s over 60,000 I’ll be happy.”

"No worries, Screamer, you'll get your money."

Starscream showed Swindle out and returned to the bedroom. Wheeljack was still asleep. Starscream put the photos on the bedside table and sat down beside him. He took a datapad out of his subspace and began looking for nice resorts in Cybertron.

* * *

A month after the ceremony, Starscream started to have morning sickness as a result of his carrying. Starscream had opted out of physically carrying the protoform in an attempt to save himself from some of the unpleasantness that came with being sparked. Morning sickness being one of those things.

When it first happened, Wheeljack panicked, and almost called Ratchet. Not that he didn't remember Starscream was sparked, but because without a protoform this sort of thing didn't usually happen.

When the sickness persisted for a week, Wheeljack did call Ratchet.

Starscream laid down in bed after being stuck in the washroom for five minutes. He shoved all of the blankets off the bed to make room for his excessive warmth. Wheeljack got off the bed so he wouldn't overheat, still trying to call Ratchet.

"Hey, Ratch. I'm just wondering, if Star ain't making a protoform, he shouldn't have morning sickness, right?"

Ratchet hummed. "Not usually. But if the spark is producing excess charge as a result of the new-spark, it can cause nausea."

"Okay, so he shouldn't be having a protoform?"

"He shouldn't be, but I have an opening in a few hours if he wants to come in."

Wheeljack asked Starscream. "Do you want to go to the doctor?"

Starscream waved one hand. "Sure, whatever."

Wheeljack spoke to Ratchet. "Yeah, we'll come in. Thanks Ratch."

Wheeljack hung up and leaned against the wall. "Okay, you're going to the doc in a few hours. How you feelin'?"

"Not great. But getting better. I'm very warm." Starscream rolled into his back. "Are carriers always this warm?"

"I think so. We can ask Ratchet." Wheeljack took a few steps forward and got down on his knees at the edge of the bed. He slid one hand forward and just barely touched Starscream's hand. "Hey."

"Hm?"

"I love you."

Starscream smiled. "I love you too."

"And I'm really excited to meet our sparkling."

"I'm really happy to hear you say that."

They remained like that for a half hour, eyes closed, enjoying each other's presence. Wheeljack eventually rose to get himself and Starscream a cube. When Starscream finished his cube, he put on his sweet voice and asked if Wheeljack could go get him a smoothie. Wheeljack made him one instead and it was just as good.

Ratchet's office was far enough away that they had to drive and fly. They waited in the waiting room for all of one minute before being called into the exam room.

Ratchet took to his rolling stool, datapad in hand. "Alright, Starscream, so you've been having morning sickness. Approximately how long?"

"Two weeks."

Ratchet wrote something down. "Lean back for me, let's take a look at that spark."

Starscream leaned back and opened up. Ratchet didn't even put the scanner to the spark, the problem became obvious as soon as Starscream's spark was bared.

"Well, look at that," Ratchet said.

Everyone's attentioned went to Starscream's chest.

Ratchet did a quick scan just in case. "Now it makes sense." He looked between the new parents. "You're having twins."

Starscream sat up. "Twins!" He tried to get a better look at his spark, but couldn't get a good angle. He closed his chest. "You said I was having one!"

"You were. It must have split. It happens, nothing to be worried about. You'll probably just be a little more tired and worn down, and have a greater charge."

"So I'll be hornier?"

"That's one way to put it."

Wheeljack's finials blinked, his face warming up.

Ratchet returned to the matter at hand. "But, just in case, I do want to check for a protoform."

Starscream laid back down. Ratchet used a different scanner, one that displayed Starscream's insides on screen. He twisted his lip at the image and tried to readjust.

"Strange," he muttered. "It looks like…" he trailed off.

Starscream and Wheeljack didn't know what to make of the scan, it looked like nothing to them.

Ratchet paused the image on screen and turned to the parents. "So it looks like you've got a late bloomer. There is one protoform in the gestation, but it's small. It looks like it's a month behind where it should be. If you two interfaced around the same time the spark was splitting, because your system was overcharged, gestation probably activated on its own."

Starscream and Wheeljack exchanged a look.

Wheeljack asked. "So what does that mean? Is that going to be a problem?" He squeezed Starscream's hand.

Ratchet shook his head. "It will be complicated, but it shouldn't be an issue. My only concern is the second protoform being late. This is unusual, but not unheard of. We will just have to be careful during the emergence."

"What could happen?"

"The sparks could fight over the protoform and one could extinguish the other. But we can avoid that with close monitoring. One, or both of the protoforms, will probably be a little premature, but not so much they'll be in danger. We'll extract one and put it in a protoform a month before natural emergence so that the other one can develop and descend properly. Now, because we induced emergence, the other spark might descend right then, and after that it would only be a couple of days before it's born."

"So they'd both be premature."

"Yes. We'd probably want to keep Starscream in the hospital for a few days after induced emergence to be safe."

Starscream huffed. "Why do sparklings have to be so complicated?"

Ratchet fiddled with the machine. "Only you, Starscream."

Starscream crossed his arms. "Not like I do it on purpose."

Ratchet scribbled something on his datapad. “The morning sickness should resolve itself in a couple weeks, or so. If it persists, come back, and I’ll give you something baby-safe for the nausea, alright?”

Strascream sat up. “Alright.”

“You should probably come for more check ups than the average carrying bot. I want to make sure those new sparks are doing well.”

Starscream flapped his hand. “Yeah, yeah. I get it, I’m special.” He climbed off the examination table and stretched out. “Are we done now, can I go home?”

“Yes, Starscream, you can go home.”

Starscream made another appointment at the front desk, to take place before his regularly scheduled appointment. When he and Wheeljack got outside, Wheeljack took Starascream’s hand and swung their arms between them.

“Sooo,” Wheeljack said. “Whataya wanna do now.”

Starscream pulled them together so their shoulders touched. “I have a meeting with Swindle at four.”

“Another one? That’s the second time this week.”

“I know, dear, I’m just trying to get a few things finalized with him.”

“I thought you had all our stuff finalized a month ago.”

“He screwed something up.”

Wheeljack narrowed his eyes. “Okay,” he said slowly. “If you say so.”

Starscream stopped. He tugged Wheeljack until he stopped.

Starscream said. “You sound like you don’t believe me.”

“No, I-” Wheeljack took both of Starscream’s hands. “If I come across that way, I’m sorry. I trust you.”

“I know you do.” Starscream replaced his hands on Wheeljack’s shoulders. Starscream took him by the cheeks and and pulled him into a gentle kiss. “When I finish up with Swindle, you’ll love the outcome. I’m just keeping it under wraps for now.”

“Oh, a surprise?” Wheeljack’s finials blinked. “What kinda surprise.”

“You know what, now that I think about it, no surprise will ever be as good as twins.”

Wheeljack froze. His eyes went wide. “I was so caught up with the health risks my brain skipped the fact that we were having twins.”

Starscream’s smile grew wide, his eyes squinted. Wheeljack bounced on his heels and gave Starscream’s chest a slew of kisses. “Twins, twins, we’re gonna have twins.” He gasped, bending at the waist. “Now there’s one in here, too!” He wrapped his arms around Starscream’s waist and pressed his face to his belly.

Starscream laughed, noncommittal pushing at Wheeljack’s shoulders. “Jackie- Jackie, we’re in public, Come on.”

Wheeljack held tight and lifted Starscream off his feet. “I’m gonna carry you home.”

Starscream was laughing so hard his limbs nearly went lax, he held himself up against Wheeljack's back and kicked his legs. “Wheeljack!” He couldn’t stop laughing. “Put- put me down, Wheeljack!”

“I got a real good view of your aft from here.”

Starscream couldn’t keep himself upright. He laughed until he was wheezing and teary eyed. Of course, only then did Wheeljack choose to put him down. When Starscream was placed on his feet, his knees immediately gave out from under him. He covered his mouth with his hand, and was halfway to laying on the ground.

Wheeljack watched his conjunx laugh himself limp. “I might actually have to carry you, I can’t believe it.”

“No I’m fine,” Starscream insisted. He took a deep vent and came down with a chuckle. “I’m fine,” he stood up and brushed himself off. “I’m fine.”

“Do you want me to carry you home.”

“I know you’re perfectly capable of carrying me, but carrying me all the way home? From here? I don’t know about that.”

Wheeljack moved forward, arms outstretched. “Never know unless we try.”

Starscream put his hands up. “No, don’t do it. I don’t want you to drop me.”

Wheeljack pulled back and put a dramatic hand over his chest. “Drop? The love of my life? Who is carrying my babies? I would never.”

Starscream sauntered past him. “Maybe some other time, loverboy.” He leaped into the air, transformed, and flew away.

Wheeljack chuckled to himself before he followed.

* * *

Morning sickness subsided around the time Ratchet said it would. When the sickness went away, the horniness came to play. Wheeljack was perfectly happy to indulge his conjunx. They had morning sex every other day for a couple of weeks. It was slow, lazy, loving, and oh so wonderful.

Starscream kept his eyes closed, and his legs open, and let Wheeljack do all the work. Wheeljack gnawed at his neck and jaw as he lazily thrust forward. Starscream hummed, his hands flexing and unflexing against Wheeljack’s shoulders. When Wheeljack’s spike sparked a particular node, Starscream gasped. “Wheeljack-”

“Yes, that’s me. It feel good?”

Starscream nodded. “Mhm.”

“That’s good, I like makin’ you feel good.”

“I like that,” Starscream spoke softly. He turned his head to the side and blindly searched for his lover’s lips. “I like you. You’re really great.”

Wheeljack chuckled. “You like me? Wow.”

Starscream smiled. “I know, shocking.”

Wheeljack suddenly went stiff. “Fuck,” he vented, overloading into Starscream’s valve.

Starscream lazily tried to spread his legs wider. “Come on,” he muttered.

“Yup, I’m goin’,” Wheeljack pushed forward again.

After a few thrusts, Starscream made a little noise and went stiff. He sighed Wheeljack’s name and nearly fell back asleep. Wheeljack gently kissed his jaw. “No going back to sleep.”

Starscream hummed. “Don’t tell me what to do.”

Wheeljack pulled out and laid down. “Guess it’s another lazy day for us, huh?”

“Mhm.” Just as Starscream was starting to fall back asleep, he received a notification in his hub.

85,000 shanix had been transferred to his account.

A smile crept onto Starscream’s face.

It was turning out to be a truly great morning.

* * *

A couple weeks and 15,000 shanix later, Starscream found himself smiling, standing behind Wheeljack while he worked. Starscream took a few calculated steps forward. Wheeljack's finials blinked, a tell tale sign that he heard his conjunx approach.

"Yes?" Wheeljack said, not looking up from his work.

Starscream wrapped his arms loosely around Wheeljack's neck and held a datapad in front of his face.

"I have something for you," Starscream purred, dotting kisses on the side of Wheeljack's neck and head.

Wheeljack hummed. He looked up from his work. "Is it on that datapad."

"Mhm."

"Is it some very sexy lingerie you want me to buy for one or both is us."

Starscream scoffed a laugh. "You wish."

"I do wish." Wheeljack took the datapad. "Let's see what we got here." He studied the contents of the datapad for a few seconds too long. "Are these private transport tickets?"

Starscream nodded. "Mhmmmm."

"Where are we goin'?"

Starscream pressed their cheeks together. "You'll see."

Wheeljack retracted his mask and turned his head a little to the side. Starscream kissed just beside his eye.

Wheeljack wagged the datapad. "Ya know, love of my life, it's not much of a surprise if you use my money."

Starscream smiled into the side of Wheeljack's head. "I didn't use your money."

"Oh? Who's money did you use?"

"You don't have to worry about that."

"What was our agreement, Star? If you do something illegal you have to tell me."

Starscream laughed into his cheek. "I haven't done anything illegal. I promise."

"Okay as long as you promise"

"Oh, he believes me. I love him for believing me."

Wheeljack turned his head more and captured Starscream's lips in a shirt peck. "I do, I do, I do."

Starscream closed his eyes and rested his head against Wheeljack's. "Tired."

Wheeljack went back to work, unphased. He put the datapad on the edge of the table and left it there. He worked for another hour, Starscream never stirred. When it came time to be done, Wheeljack shrugged his shoulder, just enough jostling to get Starscream to open his eyes and lift his head. Wheeljack took the opportunity to swivel in his chair. He held Starscream by the waist to keep him steady, and climbed off the stool.

"You have been very tired lately," Wheeljack commented.

"Tired and horny. This is my life now."

Wheeljack laughed at him. They made their way upstairs. Wheeljack made dinner, they watched a movie, then went to bed.

As they laid there, tangled in a heap of warmth, Wheeljack couldn't sleep. Not because his mind was racing, or thoughts plagued him. No.

He looked at Starscream's calm, content, sleeping face, and could not look away.

* * *

When the time came to board their private transport, Starscream told Wheeljack to leave all of his work behind. Starscream had been merciful, and scheduled their leave for a month after he told Wheeljack it was happening. Starscream told him that he stowed away a surprise in addition to their journey, which itself remained a mystery.

The transport was high end. Private, spacious, stocked with high grade and quality energon and goodies. Starscream placed himself in one of the seats. Wheeljack sat across from him, his eyes never leaving Starscream’s slightly curved middle. The protoform was a month behind the sparks, but Starscream was still beginning to show a little. In the few months since they’d found out about any sparkling, Wheeljack had been particularly caring, and found his spark swelled whenever he even thought about his conjunx.

This feeling was a combination of the “honeymoon phase,” as Starscream had called it. (Which Ironhide had already claimed they’d been in since the beginning of the relationship.) And the fact that Starscream was carrying his sparklings. Similar to Starcream, Wheeljack also knew, later in their relationship, that he would be spending the rest of his life with this mech. Whether it be as conjunx, or friends, he didn’t anticipate ever getting tired of Starscream’s company. Maybe the romance would sputter out, their sex life might too, but Wheeljack liked to spend time with Starscream, no matter what they were doing. He liked listening to him, working with him, living with him. He enjoyed making him laugh, poking fun at him, and being poked back. In time, the spark of romantic passion may not be there like it used to be, but Wheeljack could live with that.

Their love was, one way or another, eternal. Even if it did not keep its shape.

“You’re staring at me again,” Starscream said.

Wheeljack’s finials blinked. “I like staring at you.”

Starscream smiled. He crossed one leg over the other and fixed his gaze on his conjunx. “Oh, you do, eh? I should tell you, I’m married.”

Wheeljack retracted his mask to reveal his smile. “Are you? Well, I guess I’m not surprised. I bet bots would kill to be with you. How many guys did he have to run over?”

Starscream leaned his head to one side. “Oh, not too many. Believe it or not, most people weren’t too fond of me.”

“Of you? Say it’s not so.”

“Or if they were it was strictly physical.”

“Now that, I can see.”

“But I’ve found a good mech I think.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yes, he’s very loving, and very handsome, and he treats me soooo well.”

Wheeljack leaned his chin on his palm. “Please, tell me more.”

Starscream laughed. He uncrossed his legs and stood up. He leaned down, took Wheeljack by the cheeks, and gave him a kiss on the bridge of his nose. “I love him very much.”

Wheeljack wrapped his arms around Starscream’s waist and hugged him tight. “He sounds great.”

“Mhm.”

The transport jostled into the air, Starscream hardly moved. He hugged Wheeljack around the head and hummed.

“Are you excited to be a sire?”

Wheeljack nodded. “So excited.”

“You know, we never talked about kids.”

“Yeah. I guess.”

“I don’t know if I wanted to have kids.”

Wheeljack didn’t respond.

Starscream continued. “But now that I’m here, I think it will be okay.” He smiled. “And I know you’ll be a great sire. Me as a carrier, I’m not so sure about, but I’ll do my best.”

“I think you’ll be okay.”

Starscream backed up, he trailed on hand down Wheeljack’s arm and took his hand. “This is a special transport,” he purred. “It has my favorite piece of furniture.

Wheeljack’s smile grew wide. “Oh, I know what that means.”

He stood up and followed Starscream into the next cabin. There was a bed big enough for the both of them. Starscream spread himself out enticingly, and invited Wheeljack to lay with him. Wheeljack climbed aboard, running a trail of kisses from Strascream’s shoulder to his jaw.

“Soo, do you wanna do somethin’ naughty? Or take a nap?”

Starscream smirked. “It’s a sixteen hour flight, we have time for both.”

Wheeljack’s hand trailed up Starscream’s belly and around his waist. “Sixteen hours, huh? Now how could you have afforded this without stealing something?”

“I didn’t have to steal anything,” Starscream kissed him on the side of the head. “I just made a few good deals.”

“That why you spending so much time with Swindle?”

“Yes. But that’s not where it all came from.” Starscream stretched his arm across Wheeljack’s chest and settled in. “I did a few things on my own.”

“What did you do?”

“Our leftovers make a lot of money.”

“Oh ho ho, you sold some of our stuff? What stuff?”

“Swindle split what he made from selling the photos and his invitation and one centerpiece with me, and I sold one centerpiece and invitation on my own.

“How much did ya make? Come on, tell me how much ya made.”

Starscream cackled. “Only 160,000 shanix.”

Wheeljack’s eyes widened. “Yer kiddin’.”

Starscream bit his lip and shook his head. “Nope. People are crazy about this stuff. We have fans, and collectors, who knew being an influence on faction relations was liquid.”

“Well damn. Maybe I should make you buy me things now.”

“I do have a lot left over. I did buy you something, I bought you this nice trip.”

“Where we goin’ anyway?”

“You’ll see.”

“Aw, yer not even gonna tell me?”

“You’ll see.” Starscream closed his eyes. “Now I am going to sleep. Feel free to ravish me when I wake up.”

“I will.”

* * *

They did not end up having sex on the transport. Starscream slept for almost the entire time, Wheeljack occupied himself with a work datapad he had snuck into his subspace, staring at Starscream, and drinking. The only time Starscream woke up, he ate an entire box of goodies, made out with his conjunx, then promptly went back to sleep.

Wheeljack watched out the window as they landed. He didn’t recognize the area immediately, but he did recognize the large solvent reservoir and all of the little islands sticking out of the solvent. Some of the islands were larger, covered in fauna, others were small and bare.

They touched down on one of the larger islands. Wheeljack shook Starscream awake.

“Star, we’re here. Wherever here is.”

Starscream sat up. “We’re here?” He sat on the edge of the bed and stretched. “Grab a couple bottles of the high grade, I paid for them.”

Wheeljack didn’t argue, he was thinking about doing that anyways. He also grabbed the other couple boxes of goodies that were left over. They left the transport hand in hand. As soon as they were off, it flew away.

They were on a beach of black sand, with a silver and grey forest before them. Starscream smiled at him, and started walking towards the brush. Wheeljack didn’t move right away. He turned around and looked at the crystal-like solvent.

Starscream called for him. “Come on, Jackie!”

Wheeljack scurried to catch up. He captured Starscream’s hand and looked to see where they were headed. Not far into the brush they found a stairway. Starscream squeezed his hand and smiled wide, glancing over his wing. Wheeljack smiled back.

The stairway curved, the brush cleared, and a large structure came into view.

They stepped onto the house's deck and stared out at the stunning view of the solvent sea. Wheeljack stared at the archway shading half of the deck, and studied the intricate design above the double doors.

Starscream turned sound and leaned on the railing. “Happy honeymoon,” he said, a sly smirk spreading across his face. “It’s you and me for two weeks.”

Wheeljack walked towards him. “Two weeks, huh?” He placed his hand on the railing on either side of Starscream. “You won’t get sick of me?”

“No, I don’t think so. But even if I did, the city is right over there, we can just call the transport back and go off and do our own thing.”

“Ya know,” Wheeljack purred, going in for Starscream’s neck. “I dunno if we’re gonna need it.” His hands slid across Starscream’s plating. He squeezed low on his aft and dug his fingers into his lower back. “I could do you right now.”

Starscream leaned his head back and pushed his pelvis forward. “We have this entire place all to ourselves. You can do me anywhere you want.”

“You have no idea how tempting that is.”

Starscream squeaked when something warm and damp poked against his panel. “I think I’m getting the idea.”

As soon as Starscream opened his panel, Wheeljack slipped inside. They moved together against the railing, clinging to each other, gently panting names and demands. Wheeljack buried his face in Starscream’s neck and thrusted into an overload. Starscream squeezed his legs together, trying to bring on his own overload. It didn’t take anymore than a few more well aimed thrusts.

“You know,” Starscream panted. “I really thought we’d do that in a bed when we arrived.”

“What’s the fun of a bed?”

“I get to lay there and do nothing, right now I’m standing. That’s too much work, dear.”

“Next time, next time I’ll get it right.”

Starscream laughed, dislodging himself from Wheeljack’s grip. “And Ratchet said I’d be the horny one.” He took Wheeljack’s hand and led him into the house. “Let’s go see where else you can lay me.”

The house was clean, fully furnished, and made for couples. The kitchen was fully stocked, the bed was big and soft, and both the shower and tub were big enough for two. As soon as they entered the bedroom Wheeljack flopped himself on the bed and scrambled into an enticing position.

“Paint me like one of your french girls.”

Starscream smacked him in the face with a pillow.

Wheeljack laughed and rolled into his back. Starscream climbed into the bed and plopped down beside him. They stared at the ceiling in silence. Wheeljack captured one of Starscream’s hands and played with the talons on top of his chest. Starscream shifted closer.

“So, how’s the honeymoon so far?”

“Perfect,” Wheeljack muttered. He looked at his conjunx. “But anywhere would be perfect with you.”

“Aw, he loves me.”

“Sh, it’s a secret,” Wheeljack strained his neck to give Starscream’s cheek a kiss.

“Okay, it’s a secret,” Starscream whispered back. “I won’t tell anyone.”

“Oh, ya know what ya can tell me?”

“Hm?”

“What the other surprise you had in store for me was?”

Starscream hummed. “Well,” he sat up. “I was going to save it for later tonight, but,” he shrugged and climbed off the berth. “I guess I can do it now.” He slipped into the washroom. “No peeking.”

“No promises.”

Wheeljack sat up and sat cross legged on the bed, eagerly awaiting this new surprise (which he was confident he already knew what it was)

Starscream spoke to him through the door. “Close your eyes.”

Wheeljack put his hand over his eyes. “They’re closed.”

The door slid open.

“Okay, you can open them.”

Wheeljack removed his hand, and found Starscream standing before him, white lace panties over his exposed array, and a mesh, see through, garment that hung at his sides and opened right where his belly was.

“So?” Starscream purred, crawling into the bed. “How do I look?” He sat on his knees with his thighs apart, smirking at his struck conjunx.

Wheeljack’s mask retracted on it’s own. “Damn,” he muttered. “Damn.” He bowed forward, put his hands on Starscream’s hips and kissed his belly. “Yer always sexy, but damn.”

“Oh no, I broke him-” Starscream drew in a sharp vent when Wheeljack flicked his node with his tongue. Starscream leaned back on his arms and opened his legs wider to give Wheeljack room. “At least I didn’t break his mouth,” he panted, putting his hand on the back of Wheeljack’s head as his mouth gnawed eagerly at the mesh covered valve. When Wheeljack pulled the panties aside, Starscream nearly lost it.

“I- hah- I got a set for you, too,” Starscream said, struggling with his words. “Fuck me.” He shuddered into a body rocking overload.

Wheeljack lifted his head. “Do they match?”

Starscream needed to catch his breath. “Almost. Yours is red.”

“Hell yeah.”

“And it doesn’t have a belly window.”

“Can I put it on?”

Starscream pulled the garment out of his subspace. Wheeljack didn’t say anything, he grabbed the lingerie and leaped into the washrack. He emerged almost a minute later and struck a pose, that was neither sexy nor impressive, but cute and entertaining all the same.

“I look hot,” he proclaimed, crawling into the bed.

Starscream chuckled. “Yeah you do.”

Wheeljack fell into bed beside him. They sat against the wall held upright by the many pillows.

“Oh, I know what we need,” Wheeljack took the boxes of goodies and the high grade out of his subspace.

Starscream took the entire box for himself, Wheeljack didn’t bother with a glass. They sat together, snacking and drinking, draped in lingerie, and conversing about nothing. The color red versus the color green, and how many goodies the sparked bot goes through in the ten months they’re carrying.

“Two boxes a month.” Starscream claimed.

“You’ve eaten two in a day.”

“Sixty a month.”

Wheeljack thought about it for a moment. “Yeah, I can afford that.”

“Thank goodness.” Starscream put the half empty box down and adjusted so he was upright on his side. “Jackie?”

“Hm?” Wheeljack put down his drink and looked at him.

Starscream didn’t say anything for a moment. He smiled softly, his eyes glazed over. “I’m really happy.”

Wheeljack retracted his mask and smiled back. “I’m happy too.”

Starscream rubbed up and down Wheeljack’s arm. “Thank you.”

Wheeljack adjusted so they were facing each other. “For what?”

“For existing. For being my conjunx.”

Wheeljack scooted forward. He gave Starscream a kiss in the corner of the mouth. “I can’t think of anything better.”

Starscream leaned in and captured Wheeljack’s lips for a real kiss. They smiled, and when they opened their eyes, both were met with the most perfect sight.


End file.
